Beer-drinking made easy

There are situations in which I am sometimes helpless. Okay, maybe that sounds worse than it is. So here’s an example: I’m sitting with some friends on the banks of the Danube in the centre of Regensburg, and have brought a bottle of beer with me as refreshment, but one thing is missing: a bottle-opener. Great, really great. And since I’m far from being a genius when it comes to opening beer bottles, I of course don’t have a clue how I’m going to get my bottle open. To make sure this doesn’t happen to me (and you) again, I’ve compiled a few little tips and tricks – for opening beer bottles, and for a few other things as well.

Beer et voila

There must be hundreds of ways to open a bottle of beer – with an enormous array of different objects. I’ll describe two of the best I discovered during the course of my researches. Most of us will always have some banknotes with us, won’t we? Which is why paper money is a really ingenious solution – and a rather cool one into the bargain, in my view. All you have to do is roll up the banknote tightly – as tightly as you can! Then fold the roll in the middle. (Please be careful not to destroy the banknote; after all, it’s still worth something. 😉 ) Then lever off the crown using the bent part of the banknote. And hey presto! Yes, simplicity itself! You can also remove the crown with a sheet of paper, by the way. Just fold it three or four times.

Another option would be the edge of the tabletop: hold the bottle vertically against the edge, with the teeth of the crown protruding over it. Then strike the closure forcefully from above. There you are: it’s open. But a word of caution: the disadvantage of this method is that it leaves definite traces in the furniture. So instead of the table perhaps it would be better to use a beer crate. Or if you’re in the town somewhere, as I often am, then use the kerb.

You’re a bit sceptical as to whether this really works? I and my colleagues have tried the beer tricks out for you. Successfully? See for yourself:

The thing with the beer crate is simple. We managed that all right. But the thing with the folded paper unfortunately proved beyond us. Have you ever managed it? Then feel free to tell us about it in the comments.

Perhaps we simply just need a bit more practice. After all, as the saying goes: practice makes perfect! But it’s not only opening beer bottles that turns out to be quite easy with a few small tips. You can also chill your beer in next to no time:

Chilling beer fast

Warm beer? Not something you want to drink! That’s why this trick is vital in summer. It enables you to chill your warm beer very quickly. Simply wrap the bottle of beer in a wet tea-towel, and then put it in the freezer compartment for 5 minutes. But be careful – don’t forget the bottle in the freezer, otherwise it’ll burst. Another method would be this: cool down your beer with beer ice-cubes. Simply freeze beer in an ice-cube tray. Then when you’re drinking a glass, you can drop the ice-cubes in it and your beer will get cold, but not watery. Ingenious, isn’t it?

Some incidental tips

For the dyed-in-the-wool beer fans, here’s a question: how about cooking with beer?

There’s quite a lot you can do with it. You don’t believe me? Then please read the recipes on our blog: you can make beer-based biscuits at Christmas, for example, beer pancakes as a sweet snack or also beer goulash as a tasty main course. There are no limits to your imagination here.

And here’s another tip: beer can also be used as a wonderful care product for your hair or your face. If you want to know more about this, then click here.

I hope you found my tips at least a little bit helpful. Try them out for yourself and feel free to tell us how it went in the comments 😉